Embracing the Wolf - Book #2 (Anna Avery) Read Online Free PDF

a sea of new faces, I felt like the stranger.
    “I see some of the visitors have already arrived.” I was looking at Elle, but slid a sideways glance at Sawyer. He shifted his gaze from my face to Rachel’s. She was pretty in a girl-next-door sort of way. Not much of a talker. In the five months I’d been on the mountain, I think we had only a handful of conversations, though she seemed pretty chatty with Elle and Sawyer. Maybe she just didn’t like me for whatever reason.
    “Yeah, did you see the hot blonde?” Elle said with a smirk and a nod of her head. I looked over my shoulder to see the blonde from earlier. She was sitting on the railing of the deck chatting with the brunette and Adam.
    “Yeah, I’ve seen her,” I said between clenched teeth.
    “Competition sucks, huh?”
    I swiveled my head back to face Sawyer. “He’s just talking to them. I’m confident enough that it doesn’t bother me.” The lie slid through my lips so easily. Sawyer and I were locked in a stare down when Elle cleared her throat.
    “Anna doesn’t have anything to worry about. That girl doesn’t bat for Adam’s team.”
    “How do you know?” Rachel asked. “She looks pretty chummy with our alpha.” She looked up at me and then away, embarrassed. “Sorry,” she muttered.
    “You don’t have to apologize,” I told her and then glared at Sawyer. “I’m not worried about her or any other woman who talks to Adam.”
    Elle flipped a couple steaks, resting a hand on her hip. “Because she’s been flirting with me since she got here.” She turned and looked past me to the blonde. “All I’m sayin’ is, if the beds a-rockin’, don’t come a-knockin’ tonight.”
    I laughed and bumped her hip with mine. “Don’t worry; no one wants to see that.”
    “Speak for yourself,” Asher said walking up to us. His shaggy brown hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, and his normal scruff was shaved clean.
    “Asher ... did you … shave?” My eyes fell to his clothes. “And you tucked in your shirt?”
    He rubbed his stubble-free jawline and shrugged. “I figured I’d clean the mug for the ladies to enjoy this week. And I only tucked the shirt in because there’s a hole at the hem.”
    “You’ll bring ‘em to their knees, you stud muffin.”
    “That’s the idea.” He winked and took a swig of his beer.
    I slapped his arm and laughed. “You’re disgusting.”
    Elle, Rachel, and I were all laughing over Asher’s comments, but Sawyer stepped away. I watched him head down the porch steps and into the yard. Someone had started building a bonfire for later tonight.
    “I’ll be right back,” I told my friends and followed Sawyer out into the yard. I couldn’t stand the awkwardness between us. Just a short time ago, we were sort of a couple, if being forced on dates was considered being a couple. Still, I had grown to like Sawyer and, before bonding with Adam, imagined us being mates. In the end, the undeniable pull toward Adam ruined any chance with Sawyer. I knew it was still a sore subject for him, but ignoring me wouldn’t fix it.
    “I’m sorry if I ruined that back there,” I said, coming up alongside Sawyer. He looked over at me and then out at the trees. “I can explain to Rachel that nothing is going on between us anymore. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t like me, but I can make her listen.”
    “Rachel?” he asked quizzically. 
    “Yeah, weren’t you two … you know, hitting it off before I came along?”
    “No, it’s not like that. We were just chatting with Elle. Rachel’s nice, but not for me.”
    I didn’t question why. I wanted our conversation to stay on safe ground, and I was afraid of what his response might be. Not that I thought he was still hopelessly into me, but it’s never easy to talk to an ex about present or future relationships.
    “So, why did you leave?” I sat down beside him on one of the hay bales surrounding the stacked bonfire wood.
    “It’s still a little weird …